Returning from the Middle East

With our soldiers returning from the Middle East, some will be disabled and in need of treatment and others may end up homeless. One day they are facing combat, the next day they're at home wondering what to do next. Many of our returning Vets face PTSD and other combat related issues and don’t even realize it. As strange as it seems, some of these Vets aren’t even aware of their entitlement to benefits. Some need a meal and help to readjust from boots and fatigues back to civilian life.

In the military world, you may think, I was an infantryman, so what does that translate in the civilian world when it comes to finding a job or any other services?

The bleak economic climate paints a dreary picture for Veterans hoping to find jobs. Looking back at the statics for 2010. 18 to 24 year olds the unemployment rate was a high as 20.9% and for 25 to 34 year olds it was a whopping 12.6% well above the national average of 9.1%. The youngest of veterans, aged 18 to 24, had a 30.4 percent jobless rate in October 2011. For some groups, the numbers can look a good deal worse: for black veterans aged 18-24, the unemployment rate is a striking 48 percent.

So what can we do to help?

Remind your employer that the WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT (WOTC) program provides federal income tax credit (up to $4,800 per person hired) as an incentive for private sector employers to hire Veterans.

Volunteer at your local VFW , American Legion or VA Clinic to help give compassionate support, education, help vets find work , help them write their resume’s, provide service and job referrals for the emotional, social, moral, and spiritual injuries these families have experienced during all stages of deployment, especially reintegration.